Federal File

Children's Song

Joining a recent stream of celebrities who have visited Washington
to promote child- and education-related causes, Latin pop-music star
Ricky Martin caused a stir late last month when he stopped by the
headquarters of the Department of Labor.

The Grammy Award-winning artist wasn't there to sing hits such as
"Livin' La Vida Loca," but showed up on a much more serious note.

Mr. Martin, an ambassador of goodwill "in training" for UNICEF, met
with Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Sept. 25 to promote a campaign
by the department against child labor in Latin America and the
Caribbean.

"Everyone involved was very excited to have him," said Celeste Helm,
a spokeswoman for the department. "I heard a little flutter going
through the hall when he arrived. We have a lot of visitors of high
stature, but not many from the pop-music world."

Millions of children in Latin America and the Caribbean are victims
of commercial exploitation, including child pornography, cross-border
smuggling, and child prostitution, Ms. Helm said.

The Labor Department has several international programs to combat
child labor throughout those regions, she added. The programs provide
children with access to education in areas with a high incidence of
exploitative and abusive labor practices.

"The Labor Department is interested in stopping child exploitation,"
Ms. Helm said, noting that the agency has programs "throughout the
world" that target child labor.

Mr. Martin, who became a pop sensation as a solo artist, is also a
former member of the Latin American musical group Menudo.

He is still going through the process of becoming a goodwill
ambassador for UNICEF, said Erin Trowbridge, a spokeswoman for the New
York City-based organization.

The singer's work with UNICEF will intersect with efforts of the
Ricky Martin Foundation, which recently launched an initiative against
child pornography and prostitution.